Healing is different for everyone.

One of the most important things to understand after a cosmetic procedure is that healing is individual.

Two people can have the same procedure and look completely different the following day. Even the same person may bruise after one treatment and have almost no visible bruising the next time.

This does not necessarily mean that anything has gone wrong. It reflects normal differences in anatomy, blood vessels, tissue response and the healing process.

What needles and cannulas do to the tissue

Any procedure involving a needle or cannula creates a controlled physical injury as the instrument passes through the skin and soft tissue.

Small blood vessels may be disrupted, causing pinpoint bleeding, bruising or a small haematoma. Tissue movement can also trigger inflammation and temporary fluid accumulation, which we see as swelling.

Cannulas have a blunt tip and may produce less bruising than needles in some treatment areas, but they can still disturb tissue and blood vessels. Neither technique can guarantee a bruise-free recovery.

What normal early healing can look and feel like

During the first few days, it can be normal to experience:

● Swelling

● Tenderness

● Redness around entry points

● Pinpoint bleeding

● Bruising

● Temporary firmness

● Small areas that feel lumpy or uneven

● One side appearing more swollen than the other

These changes can make the area look uneven before it settles. Swelling does not always occur equally on both sides, and a bruise may continue to darken or change colour before it begins to fade.

Temporary lumpiness can be related to swelling, small areas of bruising or tissue inflammation. It should generally soften and improve as healing progresses. The area should not be repeatedly pressed or massaged unless your treating clinician has specifically instructed you to do so.

How long does healing take?

There is no single timeline that applies to everyone.

Swelling is often most noticeable during the first few days. Bruising may take one to two weeks to fade, and sometimes longer. Tenderness and temporary unevenness can also take time to settle.

Research has reported recovery periods ranging from a few days to around two weeks after lip procedures, with some treatment-related effects lasting longer in a proportion of patients.

Healing can be influenced by:

● The area treated

● Individual blood vessel anatomy

● The number of entry points and tissue passes

● Whether a needle or cannula was used

● The degree of tissue manipulation

● Age and skin fragility

● Medications and supplements that affect bleeding

● Previous procedures or scar tissue

● The body’s inflammatory response on that particular day

This is why your recovery may be different from a friend’s recovery, and different from your own previous experience.

Normal healing should gradually improve

The most useful guide is not whether the area looks perfect immediately. It is whether the symptoms are following an improving pattern.

Bruising, swelling and tenderness should gradually settle. Increasing or severe pain, pale or mottled skin, dusky colour change, skin that feels unusually cool, rapidly worsening swelling, spreading redness, fever or any visual disturbance should not be treated as routine healing and require urgent clinical assessment.

The photograph accompanying this article shows the type of early appearance that can occur after a procedure involving needles or cannulas. Pinpoint bleeding, bruising, swelling and temporary unevenness can all form part of the initial healing phase.

Healing is a process, not a single deadline. Every person is different, and every treatment can heal differently.

Clinical references

1. Beer KR. Safety and effectiveness of injection via blunt cannula compared with injection by needle for correction of nasolabial folds. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2014;13(4):288-296. PubMed

2. Fulton J, Caperton C, Weinkle S, Dewandre L. Filler injections with the blunt-tip microcannula. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 2012;11(9):1098-1103. PubMed

3. Hamman MS, Goldman MP. Minimizing bruising following fillers and other cosmetic injectables. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2013;6(8):16-18. Full text

4. Hong GW, et al. Review of the adverse effects associated with dermal filler treatments: Part I, nodules, granuloma, and migration. Diagnostics. 2024;14(15):1640. Full text

5. Luthra A. Shaping lips with fillers. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery. 2015;8(3):139-142